You Are Connected

Commission 2013

What defines and depicts a human being, emotionally and formally, as an individual and as a social creature, nowadays?

The post-modern world of the 21st century internet age, has been offering people (once isolated within the mass) the opportunity to come closer to each other virtually, while distancing themselves physically and personally, more than ever before. Nevertheless this is helping human beings realising that we are all connected.

This phenomenon is clearly manifesting itself through the well-known open-source movements, which seek collaborative participation for developing ideas and results, through the act of co-creation and through the use of modern manufacturing technologies (e.g. rapid prototyping).

The inner subjective identity and the self-perception of post-modern human beings is no longer based on traditional values, as family or work, but defined by their interests and instincts which, often cultivated anonymously through the internet, outline our subjective experiences and turn them into valuable sources for considerable groups of like-minded people – the novel social family.

This necklace, inspired by a personal fascination for both natural and man-made structures, aspires to immortalise the (virtual) anonymous human connectedness in a tangible way, by showing the cellular network enveloping our virtual, fragile shade. A revealed (conscious) act of connection, as a deliberate decision.

The piece consists of 2 different parts:

1.The pendant: consisting of an oval cellular structure (the network), it encapsulates an isolated, anonymous human figure in the act of connecting to the network. This part is meant to be be produced as a single object and 3D printed in stainless steel with a bronze finish.

2.The chain: consisting of a black cord presenting at the extreme sides two golden pieces, it is realised with traditional jewellery-making techniques. The two parts can connect together: the linear element enters the smallest base of the conic element and subsequently the pendant. By rotating the linear element of 90 degrees, the pendant gets supported and connected. The conic element closes the combination, by being placed on top of the pendant “opening”. Connected.